In The End
by itsLisey
Summary: Post 2.24. What happens after the girls watch Garrett being arrested for Alison's murder? The conversation that ensues.


Silence lapsed over the girls; they each sat on the couch in Spencer's living room, the crème colored walls serving as their own personal jail. None could move. They sat squeezed together, the warmth of the leg next to them giving each a small sense of peace. From upstairs they could hear the quiet cries of Melissa's tears. Somewhere in the house Mr. Hastings sat with his phone pressed to his ear and Mrs. Hastings, looking as worried as ever when she walked into the chaotic scene that once again plagued her household, laid in her king sized bed, a sleep mask covering her eyes and an ever present frown playing at her lips. Spencer turned to look at her friends, but turned right back. There was nothing she could say to make anyone feel better about watching Garrett be dragged out by the Rosewood Police Station. Nothing would ever trump that memory.

"Guys," muttered Spencer. "What just happened?"

At first, Spencer was sure none of them would answer; really, what would they say? None of them had an answer. Emily fidgeted nervously, her fingertips playing at the frayed edges of her shirt. Hanna looked into the unlit fireplace. The light in her eyes was gone. Aria, dark strands of hair covering most of her face, shook her head silently, her mouth agape just slightly. Finally Emily stood and crossed the room to the kitchen and rested her elbows on the countertop, letting her long fingers scrub into her hair. Spencer stood after her and slid silently onto the barstool, one of her own hands coming up to rub Emily's shoulder reassuringly. "We didn't do that." Emily whispered.

"No," Spencer replied. "No, we didn't. Guys?" she looked at Hanna and Aria. "Did you...?"

"No." they both replied simultaneously.

"So who?" It was the question they were all wondering.

"Would A...?"

Aria shook her head. "If Melissa is A, it doesn't make any sense."

"So my sister isn't A?"

"Or your sister is a psychotic bitch," grumbled Hanna. Spencer looked furiously to the blonde. "Sorry, but we were all thinking it."

"I think-" interjected Emily. "-what Hanna means is... just because Melissa is involved with Garrett, doesn't mean she isn't A. I mean," she paused and looked at Spencer sympathetically. "Nothing looks good in her favor right now, Spencer. She's been involved with two of the men that have been charged with Alison's murder. Do you really think that's a coincidence? And the texts, and the video... it's all really bad."

"I know what it is, Emily." Spencer snapped. "But if Melissa was A, why would she get Garrett in trouble for Alison's murder? Why would she want to put the guy who apparently is helping her with the baby and her boyfriend behind bars? It isn't like she has a whole lot of other people in her life-"

"-maybe because she murdered Alison and would do anything to shove suspicion off of herself and onto anybody else."

"So what, you're saying Garrett is innocent?"

"No!" Emily looked at Aria and Hanna for help, but neither seemed to have the energy. "No, I'm just saying... we _know _Garrett is involved in some stuff. We've known that – or thought that – for a long time, and chances are Garrett is the one that framed us a few months ago with A's help. But if we've learned anything else, it's that A finds people disposable. When they aren't useful anymore..." she trailed off. "-they're gotten rid of."

"I grew up with her!" Spencer hissed. "We played barbies together and took baths and opened Christmas presents and when I was seven, Melissa taught me how to ride a bike because my parents were too busy. We are really going to sit here and talk about how we think she is somehow so deranged that she murders the girl next door, blackmails me and my friends, _kills the father of her child, _and frames her new boyfriend for the murder that she actually committed?"

"When you put it like that, yeah, it sounds insane." Hanna chimed in. "But if you look at it from our point of view, no, it's not that insane, Spence."

Aria placed a hand on Spencer's arm, which was shrugged away. "Before tonight, you were just as suspicious of Melissa as we are right now. What's changed?"

Spencer turned and looked away from the girls. She didn't want to turn back around, show them her tears, tell them all the things that had built up inside of her... but the longer she stood facing the fridge and the longer she stood there letting her anger build, the harder it was to stop herself from turning back around. Bracing herself on the counter, she somehow managed to look at all of them at the same time; she never lingered too long on one girl, she never seemed to look away. Tears welled up in her eyes as she screamed all of her pent up frustration. "Do you not think that I want this to be as easy for me as it is for you? Do you think that I want to be standing here on a different side? God, Aria. My parents have done nothing but lie to me my entire life. I have a _brother," _she laughed a little, wiping a tear from her eye. "I have a brother who, by the way, is the brother of our murdered best friend. My father probably bought Alison off because she _knew,_" she slammed a fist on the counter. "-not that she bothered to tell me or anything. They hired a private investigator to look into Alison's death because they thought – they _actually thought –_ their _daughter _was capable of murder. Their own flesh and blood. And if they are capable of believing that of their own child, what in the hell are they capable of themselves? I am standing in this house day after day after day just waiting, Aria, Just waiting. Waiting for the next bomb to explode. Something more. Toby is gone and out of my life probably forever because of some fucking psychopath that could very well be my _sister, _and you're standing here asking me what's changed? What's changed, Aria? I am not prepared to lose anymore! I know Melissa is suspicious. I know things look bad and awful and you know what? You guys are probably right. She probably did do it, do something, do whatever. But right now I don't want to talk about how my sister is probably a murderer. I just want to pretend for a little bit longer that my entire life hasn't been a lie. I want to pretend for just one more minute that tomorrow when I wake up, I won't be ashamed to be a Hastings." her voice died down and she turned away from her friends finally, her shoulders shaking and her eyes closed. "Do you not understand? I am losing everything. What have you lost, Aria? Ezra? You always get him back in the end."

"Spence..." began Aria. Her voice failed her.

"Why don't you stay at my house tonight?" Hannah muttered. "For as long as you want."

"My mom is coming back in a few days." said Emily. "I'll be out of there. You can take my room. Or you can come to my house and stay," she offered. There was a long silence. "We're your family too, Spencer. And whatever happens... we aren't changing. You won't lose us."

Nothing else needed to be said. Spencer fell backwards into Emily's arms, and soon Aria and Hanna followed suit and the four of them stood in the kitchen with their arms around each other, lost in the safe haven of each others arms. It was the only thing they could do but cry; cry for their dead friend, cry for their broken families, cry for their broken relationships and cry for their unsaid fears and all the unknowns that followed them every day. And somehow, in the small cocoon of their hug, somehow they found some solace. It was not a resounding peace that would last them very long or a relieving peace because they've solved one of their many problems; no, it was only a peace that was gained through the unsaid. Their friendship wouldn't die. It couldn't.

It was all any of them would ever have left in the end.


End file.
